MA DOC – Pondville Correctional Center

MA DOC – Pondville Correctional Center basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 508-660-3924

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at Pondville Correctional located at 1 Industries Dr in Norfolk, MA are placed according to their custody level (determined by a number of factors including the past criminal history and the length of their sentence). There are ample educational and vocational training programs for all inmates, especially ones that show a willingness to learn new things that will prepare them for a better life when they are released. The mission is to promote and prepare the offender to leave in better shape than when they arrived, giving them the best chance to never come back and thus lower the state's recidivism rate.

visitation Info

MA DOC – Pondville Correctional Center – Visitation

Visiting Hours – Visiting days and times may be subject to change. Please call the facility to verify visiting schedules.
Visiting hours at Pondville Correctional Center are as follows:

WEEKDAYS*

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

*Note: No visits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

WEEKENDS

Saturday: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (1st floor inmates)

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (2nd floor inmates)

Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (2nd floor inmates)

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (1st floor inmates)

HOLIDAYS*

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

*Note: Visits are restricted to one visiting period on Holidays. Visiting days and times may be subject to change. Please call the facility to verify visiting schedules.
 

Visitors shall not enter the building more than five (5) minutes prior to visiting hours and shall leave the property promptly at the conclusion of visiting hours.

Vehicles

• Careless or reckless operation of vehicles on State property is subject to prosecution and/or loss of visiting privileges.
• There is a fifteen (15) mile per hour speed limit while on State property.
• All vehicles shall be locked while unattended. Handicap parking is provided at the main entrance of the facility. Only vehicles with a valid handicap registration, or approval by the Superintendent or his/her designee, may utilize handicap parking spaces. All other visitor's vehicles shall park in the available spaces in the main parking lot in front of the facility. Do not uses spaces reserved for State vehicles or for staff members.

Sign In Procedures

• All visitors are responsible for being familiar with these Visiting Rules and Regulations, and shall conduct themselves accordingly while visiting at the Pondville Correctional Center.
• Visitors shall proceed directly from their vehicle to the main entrance of the facility.
• Before being admitted to Pondville Correctional Center, a visitor may be required to produce identification which, in the opinion of the admitting staff member(s) is adequate. A current photographic identification, such as a Massachusetts Driver's license or a passport, shall be sufficient. Exceptions may be made by the Superintendent.
• As a condition of entry, each visitor {(except those excluded by 103 CMR 482. 11(2) (a)} is required by Statute to make and subscribe a statement under penalties of perjury stating their true name and residence, whether or not he/she has been convicted of a felony, and if, visiting an inmate, his/her relationship to the inmate.
• If a visitor has been convicted of a felony, the Shift Commander shall inform the visitor that he/she must write to the Superintendent to request permission to visit. The letter must contain a statement of the crime(s) for which he/she was convicted and sentence(s) imposed. No visits shall be permitted without the Superintendent's approval.
• Any inmate visitor who has a weapon shall not be allowed to visit and will be directed to leave the property promptly.
• Falsification of any information on the visiting slip may result in termination of the visit and/or loss of visiting privileges. Falsification may also result in criminal penalties.

Designated Visiting Areas

Visiting Room

Personal Effects

• All visitors are expected to leave personal effects securely locked in their vehicles or in the lockers provided at the Main Entrance. The lockers at the Main Entrance require a quarter to operate.
   
• The institution assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen items. No personal items shall be left in the Control Desk area.
   
• Cameras, radios, pagers, cellular phones and other types of video/audio equipment are not allowed.
   
• Toxic, caustic and flammable materials are not allowed.
   
• Personal jewelry may be worn provided all items leave with the visitor.

Searches

• All packages, parcels and other carry-in items are subject to search at any time while on State property.
• All visitors are subject to search at any time while on State property.
• All vehicles are subject to search at any time while on State property.

Medications

• Medication of an emergency nature, ((i.e., heart medication) should be declared at control. The visitor shall keep this medication on their person at all times.
• All non-emergency medications should be secured in the visitor's vehicle unless instructed otherwise by the Shift Commander.

Money

• All money orders/checks for inmates must be turned in to the Control Desk for deposit into the inmate's account. Cash is not accepted for inmate accounts. A receipt shall be given. Passing money directly to an inmates is not allowed, and may result in termination of visit and/or loss of visiting privileges.
• Visitors shall be allowed to declare up to thirty dollars ($30.00) per person, per visit for the express purpose of purchasing debit cards to be used in the institution vending machines. Debit cards must be purchased prior to entering the Visiting Room. Once visitors enter the Visiting Room they are not allowed to leave to purchase another card. No cash is to be brought into the Visiting Room. A five dollar bill is required to purchase an initial Debit Card. Debit cards will only allow a maximum amount of $30.00 on the card. There is a 50 cent fee for the purchase of a debit card.

Food

• Vending machines are available in the Visiting Room. Only food items purchased from the vending machines are allowed in the visiting area.
• Beverages are also available from the vending machines.

Smoking Policy

Tobacco and tobacco products are contraband and are not allowed in the facility. Visitors are prohibited from smoking in the parking lot or on State Property.

General Conduct

• It is a felony in Massachusetts for any person to deliver any article whatsoever to an inmate without the permission of the Superintendent or Commissioner or their designees (or to procure an article to be delivered, to possess it with intent to deliver it, or to deposit or conceal it with intent that an inmate shall obtain it). It is also a felony for any person to receive from an inmate any article with intent to carry it out of the institution, unless the Superintendent or Commissioner or their designee give permission.
• Adults are responsible for the supervision of all children in their care.
• Visitors are expected to conduct themselves properly at all times.
• Inmates and visitors must conduct themselves reasonably and not engage in physical contact with inmates that is excessive or inappropriate for a public place. Serious deviations from appropriate standards of behavior may result in administrative action, such as warning, termination of a visit, or suspension or loss of visiting privileges by the Superintendent.
• Visitors and inmates are expected to keep their general area clean and orderly. All refuse is to be disposed of in proper containers.
• No pets are allowed on visits. Seeing eye dogs shall be allowed for the visually handicapped.

Special Restrictions

• Visits are limited to two (2) adults and three (3) children (under 18) per inmate, per visiting period. (Exceptions may be considered with sufficient reason. Requests are to be made in writing to the Deputy Superintendent's office, via the Visiting Coordinator.
• All children (under 18) must be accompanied by an adult.
• Unless related by blood, marriage or adoption, children (under 18) must be approved by the Superintendent prior to visiting. Children/minors (under 18) who are related to the inmate must be accompanied by the parent or guardian who has physical custody. Otherwise the minor must demonstrate that they have the consent of a parent or guardian who has physical custody. Adults who are not the parent or guardian having physical custody must submit a completed minor consent form to the Superintendent of Pondville Correctional Center and obtain the Superintendent's approval prior to visiting with a minor. In addition, the adult must have the minor's birth certificate.
• Ex-offenders shall be required to obtain the approval of the Superintendent prior to visiting. Normally such approval shall not be considered within six (6) months of release.
• The Shift Commander reserves the right to limit the number or length of visits in the event of overcrowding or other restrictive circumstances.
• Inmates who fail to report to a regularly scheduled work assignment may not be eligible for visits on the same day.
• Inmates who have obtained a medical Special Order for bed rest shall not be eligible for visits on the same day.
• Inmates are not allowed to visit during their scheduled work/program assignment.
• Inmates are not allowed in the visiting room until they have been paged by the Control Desk or Visiting Officer.
• Inmates are not allowed to meet visitors at the entrance to the facility or to escort visits from the visiting area when the visit has concluded.
• Visitors must remain with the inmate they are visiting.
• Inmates may not return to their room or go elsewhere within the building (except for use of the bathroom in the holding cell) while on visits without permission from staff.
• The institution reserves the right to cancel any visiting period without prior notice due to emergencies, which may include inclement weather.

Special Visits

• Attorney Visits
   
• 1. All attorney visits will be conducted during normal visiting hours, except where prior approval has been granted by the Superintendent or his/her designee. It is requested that attorney visits call at a minimum of one hour prior to visiting a client.
  2. Attorney visits shall occur in designated visiting areas to assure the confidentiality/privacy of the inmate-attorney contact. Designated attorney visit areas shall be as follows:
      
     1. During non-visiting hours the Visiting Room shall be utilized for attorney visits.
     2. During visiting hours, when a special request is made for a private meeting area with the attorney, reasonable accommodations shall be arranged by the Shift Commander.
         
  3. All attorneys requesting special visiting accommodations may be asked to provide appropriate credentials such as: Mass Bar Association Card, evidence of attorney intern status, or other documentation giving him/her attorney privileges.
      
• Persons Coming from Long Distances
   
• 1. Any person intending to visit, and who may have to travel a long distance, may request special permission from the Superintendent for an extended and/or alternate visiting period. Such requests shall be made at least two weeks prior to the intended visit.
      
• Visits to Hospitalized Inmates
   
• 1. Notwithstanding the general policy (PCC 483), the Superintendent of the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit, or of any reception/diagnostic center, may restrict visiting to family members, and attorneys and others visiting in a professional capacity.
      
  2. No one may visit an inmate temporarily confined in an outside hospital (other than the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit, as noted above), without the prior approval of the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent or Shift Commander of Pondville Correctional Center, or of the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner.
      
• Visits to Inmates in Disciplinary Status
   
• 1. Unless otherwise stipulated by a disciplinary sanction (i.e., loss of visiting privileges, room restriction), inmates with pending disciplinary matters or appeals may continue to receive visits as usual.

Contraband

• Visitors shall not introduce, remove from State property, or otherwise have in their possession or property, any item of contraband including, but not limited to:

• – guns, knives or other weapons

  – controlled substances

  – alcohol

  – explosive or incendiary devices

  – tobacco products, packages, parcels or mail intended for the inmate which have not been inspected for contraband

  – any item not allowed for the possession or retention by inmates

• Questions regarding any item which may be potentially classified as contraband shall be addressed to the Shift Commander. The Shift Commander's decision shall rule at the time of the question. Appeals may be directed to the Superintendent.
• Violation of any State and/or Federal Law may result in criminal prosecution.

Barred Visits and Appeals

• Violation of any rule or regulation governing visits at Pondville Correctional Center may result in refusal of visiting privileges, termination of visits and/or barring from future visits.
• The Shift Commander has the authority to restrict or suspend visiting privileges pending review and/or appeal to the Superintendent.
• Barred visitors are restricted from entering any Department of Correction facility prior to reinstatement of their visiting privileges. Application for reinstatement may occur upon expiration of the period of barring, unless reinstatement has previously been determined to be automatic. Application is made to the facility Superintendent where the inmate currently resides.
• Barred visitors may seek a review of the barring, suspension or restrictions by the Superintendent by sending him/her a letter within fifteen (15) working days. The visitor's letter shall include a detailed narrative describing the incident and setting forth the reasons the visitor feels the bar, suspension or restriction should be lifted. The visitor may also request an informal meeting with the Superintendent or his/her designee.